


(Mis)Understanding

by KittyleFay



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Enemies to Friends, Gay Billy Hargrove, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Male-Female Friendship, Misunderstandings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-01
Updated: 2019-06-01
Packaged: 2020-04-06 01:31:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19052533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KittyleFay/pseuds/KittyleFay
Summary: Nancy starts to notice her mother hanging out with Billy and doesn't like what she sees.But does she see the bigger picture?





	(Mis)Understanding

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this story on my mind for a while now and, originally, it was going to take place around Christmastime, but I think we're well past that now. Still, I wrote it because the idea of a middle-aged woman lusting over a teenaged boy creeps me out, so I wanted to write Karen and Billy's "relationship" on a different angle. I also kind of like the idea of Billy and Nancy forming an unlikely friendship.

Nancy knew that something was up when she was on a date with Jonathan. It was springtime and they were sharing a milkshake over a conversation about everything and nothing at all until she looked out her window. It wasn’t the hypnotic blue of the bright midday sky that caused her to still, nor was it the gentle falling of fresh apple blossoms dancing in the gentle wind. Instead, it was the sight of her mother across the road. 

It wasn’t the sight of her mother alone that caused her brow to furrow, as it _was_ grocery day, after all, and therefore a day of shopping for the older and once beautiful redhead. It was the boy walking by her side that caused her blood to run cold; a tall, tanned, and toned boy of seventeen with dirty blond curls that brushed his shoulders and a smile that seemed sweet to some and bitter to others. Her mother held a bag of groceries resting on her hip as the boy carried another in his arms. They were walking and talking. Even worse, they were _smiling_. For a moment, it seemed as if the boy had said something funny–or at least what her mother seemed to _think_ was funny–because her mother threw her head back and laughed. As they reached her car, as his was nowhere to be seen, there seemed to be a moment of tenderness between them.

_Click! Click! Click!_

“Hello?” Jonathan urged with another snap of his fingers. “Earth to Nancy! Come in, Nancy! Did you hear me?”

Nancy shook her head from her thoughts. “Er…yeah. Something about a party?”

“Jane’s birthday party is in two weeks I was asking what you wanted to get for her. Weren’t you listening?”

“Of course, I just…”

But Nancy’s voice trailed off. She could still see her mother, only this time she was stroking the boy’s cheek. The sight alone caused a knot to form in her stomach.

“Hey,” said Jonathan with a quizzical look. “Isn’t that Billy Hargrove across the street?”

Nancy nodded, barely even able to voice a simple “yes.”

“What’s he doing with your mom?”

“I have no idea. I didn’t even _know_ they knew each other.”

“You don’t think they’re…you know.”

Nancy forced herself to laugh. “That’s ridiculous!”

_Is it?_

* * *

Nancy tried to shake what she had seen that day. It can’t have meant anything. The young rebel was just trying to help a lady out. That, in and of itself, confused her. She had seen the trouble that Billy Hargrove was capable of. He would only ever help others in order help himself…right? Maybe he was trying to be a better person. Nancy could only scoff at the idea. 

A week passed and she was soon able to speak to her mother as if she hadn’t seen a thing. She certainly hadn’t seen Billy Hargrove in a while, even in school. Before long, she had forgotten the whole thing; until Wednesday.

“Mom, dad, I’m…”

Nancy’s mouth suddenly went dry. 

Billy Hargrove was sat by the table with a cup of coffee in hand. His smile was almost serpentine. “Hey, Wheeler!”

“What are _you_ doing here?”

“Didn’t you get the memo? I’m staying for dinner, princess.”

“Like hell you are!”

“Nancy!” Mrs. Wheeler scolded from the other end of the kitchen. “Don’t be so rude. That’s no way to speak to a guest.”

“He’s our _guest?”_

Much to Nancy’s dismay, he was. No matter what argument she could come up with, nothing stopped her mother from making an entire feast, most of which was eaten–nay, _consumed_ –by Billy Hargrove. Billy ate like an animal. Nancy could barely eat at all. Mike and Holly simply stared. The siblings could only watch as he gnawed through an entire steak, stuff his face with vegetables, guzzle down a glass of juice, and ask for seconds once he had all but licked his plate clean. Still, their mother looked at him with a warm smile and offered him everything he had asked for. 

 _I can’t tell which is more disgusting,_ Nancy thought. _The way he eats or the way she looks at him._

* * *

Nancy was grateful for the following weekend. By the time Friday was done, she was thanking every god and goddess she had ever heard of that she would never have to see Billy Hargrove or his stupid face, his stupid mullet, his stupid earring, his stupid band t-shirts, his stupid leather jacket, his stupid ripped jeans, or his stupid serpentine smirk again.

Nothing a little ice cream couldn’t help.

With summer around the corner and her year-end exams fast approaching, Nancy felt a desperate need for something to sweeten her studies, whether it came from an icy treat or a friend’s company. Steve was still blushing over his work at Scoops Ahoy, which Nancy couldn’t help but smile at. In spite of their past, she still saw him as a good friend and what kind of friend would she be without supporting him?

“Can I get two scoops of the Very Berry, please?”

“On the house,” Steve said with his best attempt at a smile. “Call me crazy, but I’m actually glad to see you today. At least I have a friend to laugh at this stupid outfit this time.”

Nancy had to bit her lip to keep from laughing at the sailor boy uniform. “Come on, it’s not _that_ bad.”

“I am never getting laid again.” 

“Don’t be like that.”

“I mean it! I could have Tom Cruise courting me with all the chocolates and roses in the world and the moment he’d see me in _this_ thing, it’s a life of celibacy for me.”

Nancy giggled, thanked Steve for the ice cream, and took the first lick. “Who’s been laughing at you, anyway?”

Steve rolled his eyes. “Take a wild guess.”

“Mmm…I give up. Who?”

“I’ll give you a hint: he’s the missing lost boy having coffee with your mom over there.”

Nancy’s heart dropped into the pit of her stomach. When she turned around she was almost certain that the sight before her would make her sick. Billy Hargrove was at a couple’s table with Mrs. Wheeler holding his hand. They were talking but what they were talking about, Nancy wasn’t sure, though it had to have been serious enough to wipe the wicked smirk from the young punk’s face. Billy looked strangely different. His wicked rebel’s exterior had all but melted away in the place of someone soft and sweet and…sad? A soft smile was playing at the corner of her mother’s full lips, as she grazed her thumb against the younger boy’s cheek, which seemed to bring a smile to his face. Not the mischievous Cheshire Cat smile that Nancy was used to seeing on Billy, but a weak yet no less genuine smile.

_What the hell is going on?_

* * *

This carried on for some time. By the time the Easter weekend had passed, Nancy had seen Billy perhaps more than she had any of her friends. He had become a regular guest in her house and after she had seen him at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, it seemed as if he were living there.

Still, Mrs. Wheeler showed no complaints, no matter how often her children did. She practically doted on the boy. Nancy hated to see her mother smiling at Billy. Mike looked sick every time they were in the same room. Even Holly looked uneasy with them. 

 _What does she even_ see _in him?_ Nancy asked herself.

It took some time before the puzzle pieces began to make a picture and it was a picture that Nancy did not like at all. Since that day at the diner, she had now seen her mother walking with Billy, talking with Billy, feeding Billy, clothing Billy, and even letting Billy stay at their house. It was all with that look in her eye. That sweet, pathetic, never-leave-me look. She’d seen it in Steve when they were dating.

 _Wait. They’re not…no!_ The tender touches. The longing looks. The kind gestures. _Oh God!_

* * *

Nancy had had enough when she saw Billy in her kitchen one morning. It was bad enough that he was there at all but the fact that he was there, soaking wet from the shower and wearing nothing but a towel, made her want to vomit. 

“Do you _have_ to walk around my house like that?” she asked with a growl. “I’m trying to eat my breakfast here.”

“Kinda,” Billy smirked over a steaming cup of coffee. “I wasn’t aware Hawkins folks showered with their clothes on.”

Nancy heard her mother’s laughter chime behind her as she entered the room. “Speaking of which, yours are nice and clean, Billy.”

“Thanks, Karen, I really appreciate it.”

Nancy could feel her insides burning, as she watched her mother handing a freshly cleaned and folded outfit to Billy and stroking his cheek. “You’re doing his freaking laundry now?” she burst out. “First you’re going out with him, now he’s suddenly _living_ here? What is the _matter_ with you?”

Neither Billy nor Karen had an answer. Much to Nancy’s disgust, neither of them appeared to show any guilt or shame over what she had just said. Instead, Mrs. Wheeler cleared her throat. 

“William,” she said. “Why don’t you get dressed and drive Nancy and Michael to school or you’ll both be late for school.”

_William and Karen? Yuck!_

The drive to school was as silent as it was painful. Nancy felt like she was sitting next to the devil himself and could only imagine what her brother was thinking, as he sat in the back seat with nothing to say. The bitter frown on his face seemed to say everything By the time they had reached the school building, Mike was off like a shot. Nancy stayed put.

“You need to stop this,” she finally said.

Billy only stared at her with wide eyes. He looked so innocent it was infuriating. “Stop what?”

“Don’t give me that. You know exactly _what_. This thing between you and my mom; whatever it is, you need to stop.”

And then he laughed. The bastard was actually laughing. “Princess…”

“Oh, you think this is funny?”

“Actually, yes, I do.”

“Well, it’s not. It’s disgusting!”

Billy rolled his eyes. “Lord, if I had a penny every time I’ve heard _that_ one.”

Nancy wasn’t sure if she wanted to know what that meant. 

“Look,” he continued. “I know you’re not gonna believe me when I say this, but it isn’t what it looks like.”

Nancy rolled her eyes. “Sure, it isn’t.”

“It really isn’t, but it’d be safer for me if you just _pretend_ that it is; so if you want to keep thinking I’m screwing your mom, princess, by all means.”

For a moment, she wanted to be sick just thinking of the two of them doing anything together. It was disgusting enough having the bastard in _her_ house, drinking _her_ milk, eating _her_ cookies, and sleeping with _her_ mom. Until the word echoed in her brain. “Safer?”

Billy said nothing. Nancy waited and waited and waited for him to say something, anything, but there was nothing.

“Fine,” she muttered. “So you’re _not_ fooling around with my mom, you’re _not_ breaking my dad’s heart, and you’re _not_ ruining my entire family. Got it.”

“Hey,” he finally shot. “You’re not exactly a saint yourself, okay?”

“What are you talking about?”

“You and Byers? I saw you eyeing him while you were still dating Harrington. Don’t tell me you two weren’t doing anything behind his back. Oh, and speaking of Harrington, I also heard about what you said to him last Halloween. Maybe you were too wasted to remember that shit you said to the guy, but that was a real bitch move.”

That Halloween was still a blur to Nancy. She barely even remembered getting home to that day. She only remembered the hangover in the morning and the breakup in the afternoon. She remembered how angry Steve was with her. She remembered the cold feeling inside of her when he walked away. 

“Fine,” she shrugged. “I didn’t know you had the right to have a say in who _I_ can and can’t go out with, though. Just stay out of my house and go bug your own friends, okay?”

Billy snickered. “What friends?”

“Um, Tommy? Carol?”

“Those drones? They’re not my friends.”

“Well, what about all those guys in school that flock around you?”

“Yeah, they kiss my ass 24/7, but at least they give me good booze.”

“So, you hang out with people you hate?”

Billy only shrugged. Nancy waited and waited for an answer, but received none. 

“Do you even _have_ friends?” she finally asked.

Billy stayed silent for an entire minute before unlocking the passenger door. “Get out.”

“Billy, I…”

“I said: ‘get out.’ You’re gonna be late.”

Nancy wanted to say something, ask something, anything that would receive an answer. Still, there was nothing. Sighing heavily, she gathered her things and left Billy to spend the rest of his day in the car, watching her make her way to school.

* * *

When Nancy came home to find her mother giggling over the phone, as her father lay fast asleep in the living room couch. She could feel her face growing hot. Her eyes were burning and her fists clenching. Fuming, she marched towards her.

“Are you kidding me?” she hissed. “How could you do this?”

Karen abandoned the conversation and looked to her daughter with wide eyes. “Do what, Nancy? What is it? Is something wrong?”

“Is something… _yes,_ there’s something wrong! You’ve been fooling around with Billy Hargrove!”

Karen’s eyes went as wide as saucers, but she did not look afraid. Instead, she spoke as calmly as she would speak to anyone. “Nancy.”

“How could you do this, mom? How could you do this to me, or to dad, or to Mike, or to Holly?”

“Nancy?”

“What do you even _see_ in him? Do you have any idea what kind of person he is? You should have seen…!”

“Nancy!”

Nancy bit her lip. There was a certain harshness in her mother’s voice that she knew was not to be talked back to. Still, she smiled, though very weakly. “I think we need to sit down.”

They did so. Nancy continued to look at her mother with a furrowed brow. How could a woman be so at ease with explaining her affair with a teenaged boy? Not just any teenaged boy, but Billy Hargrove, of all people.

“Honey,” Karen said calmly. “Do you know Billy at all?”

“No, and I don't want to.”

“I thought as much.”

“Mom, do you even know what he’s like?”

“Yes, I do, far more than you do, which is why I think it’s best for me to explain.”

Nancy furrowed her brow. “Explain what?”

Karen took a deep breath. “I’ll admit that when I met Billy, there was some… _harmless_ flirtation here and there, but then I got to know him. I noticed all the injuries he’d keep getting and he had an excuse for every single one of them. Of course, I knew something was up, so I asked him. It took a while for him to open up, but eventually, he told me about his father. You see, Neil Hargrove was always a very strict man. He briefly served in Vietnam, but was dishonourably discharged for assaulting an officer. Since then, he’d take out his anger on others, especially the people he loved. Billy was often his best target, particularly whenever he was doing something like reading or writing instead of playing sports or hunting animals, hoping to make what he’d call a ‘real man’ out of him. Apparently what makes a boy into a real man, according to him, is to slap him silly at every opportunity.

“Things got worse after Billy’s mother left. She was always there to protect him, you see, and would always find a way to calm him down. Sometimes she would even take the beatings for him just to spare her son. Then, one day, she was gone. She never spoke to anyone about leaving, she didn’t leave a letter explaining why she did, she didn’t even kiss her son goodbye. She simply left and Billy was left with that horrible man for a father and never came back. He was only ten.”

Much to her surprise, Nancy felt a painful swelling at the back of her throat and for Billy Hargrove. “That’s…that’s awful!”

“It gets worse. A few years later, Billy’s father married another woman who had a daughter just around Mike’s age. I think you know her. Maxine. During that time, Billy had a friend. Well, more than a friend, really. A boyfriend.”

The very last word sent a jolt in Nancy’s stomach. “You mean…?”

“Yes. His name was Alex and I suppose, given his home life, Billy saw some sort of solace in him. Even long after their relationship ended, he always speaks of him so fondly. One night, they had been out too late with their group of friends, and Billy had Alex stay the night. The next morning, Maxine came into his room and caught them in bed together. Billy made her swear not to tell anyone what she’d just seen, but that didn’t last. When his father found out, he nearly landed both boys in the hospital and moved the family here to keep Billy away from the ‘lifestyle’ that seems to prominent in California. That’s why he’s here now.”

“I…I still don’t understand. What does any of this have to do with you?”

Karen smiled weakly. “Like I said, there was some mild flirting between Billy and I, at first, and I’m not proud of that. I will say, though, that the more I got to know him the worse I felt for him. I thought that the least I could do was to look out for him and offer him what he wasn’t getting at home; food, shelter, and compassion.”

Nancy felt a fresh tear fall freely down her cheek. The puzzle in her mind began to take shape into a different picture from what it had taken before. “S-so,” she stuttered weakly. “All this time you were…y-you weren’t trying to get with him. You were trying to _help_ him!”

“Of course, I was! Nancy, you have no idea how lucky you are to have friends and family who love you. Billy doesn’t have that. When he told me all of this, I _had_ to help him out. I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself if I didn’t.”

“So, when I saw you two at the mall, that wasn’t…a _date_ , was it?”

Karen laughed heartily. “Nancy, of course, it wasn’t! Do you really think I’d go on a date _there_ , of all places? No, I was only there to support him.”

Nancy’s brow furrowed. “Support him?”

“Well, don’t tell him I told you this, but he was actually there to catch someone else’s eye.”

“Who?”

A playful smile played at the corner of Karen’s lips. “Someone you know. A certain ‘pretty boy,’ he likes to call him.”

Nancy’s jaw dropped to the ground. “Steve? But he’s always…”

“Pulling his pigtails? That’s what he told me, but I think he only does that because he doesn't know how to express his feelings the way you and I do. It’s sad, really. He’s so lonely.”

Wiping a tear from her cheek, Nancy could hear her own words echoing in her head, almost as if to mock her. _Go bug your own friends, okay? You hang out with people you hate? Do you even_ have _friends?_ “Mom, I think I’ve made a terrible mistake.”

Karen smiled weakly and stroked her daughter’s cheek. “You didn’t know, sweetie.”

“No, but I assumed the worst of both of you, _especially_ you. I’m…I’m so…”

“Sweetheart,” Karen said softly. “I’m not the one you need to apologize to.”

Nancy’s voice began to fade into sobs. A familiar feeling of loathing overtook her; the same kind of loathing she felt when Barb died. She had never hated herself more than now or then. For the moment, there seemed to be nothing to do about it but cry and cry and cry, as her mother held her close.

* * *

Billy looked different. Nancy wasn't quite sure what it was. He was sitting on the hood of his car, staring at the snow, and smoking a cigarette, as he usually did when he was skipping class and he still looked different. He almost looked like a different person to her. Nancy took a deep breath and marched towards him. Billy looked her up and down when she approached. 

“Hi, Billy.”

“Hey, princess.”

The silence between them was agony. Nancy tried to make sense of the word salad that was resting on the tip of her tongue. _Say something,_ she urged herself. _Anything._ “I owe you an apology.”

Billy raised an eyebrow. “Is that so?”

“Yeah. I talked to my mom last night and she told me everything.”

“Did she now?”

“She did. I didn’t know about your mom, or your dad, or even that you were…well…”

“A faggot?”

The word felt like a punch to her stomach. “I don’t think that’s the word I’d use, but…yeah. My point is that I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions, I shouldn’t have assumed the worst, and I shouldn’t have said those things about you. I’m sorry.”

Billy smiled weakly and took a long drag of his cigarette. “I’m sorry, too.”

“For what?”

“For calling you a bitch.”

“You didn’t call me a bitch.”

“Yeah, I did. I said it was a bitch move of you for dumping Steve. I’m sorry.”

Nancy nodded and smiled weakly. “To be fair,” she said. “It _was_ a bitch move of me. I’ve been pretty bitchy to a _lot_ of people before, especially the people I care about, but you seem more hurt about that than he is. You like him, don’t you?”

Billy had no answer. Nancy thought a moment before turning around and hopping onto the hood of the car, sitting next to Billy, who looked at her with a furrowed brow.

“Are you doing anything on Saturday?”

Billy choked on his next drag and coughed for nearly a minute. “Come again?”

“My friends and I are celebrating a birthday party for this girl called Jane. You don’t know her, but she’s…well, she’s special and I think you’d like her. I was wondering if you’d want to tag along.” 

“I don’t think they’d want me there, princess.”

“ _I_ want you there. Besides, I owe you.”

Billy raised an eyebrow.

* * *

“I can’t do this.”

Nancy had lost count of how many times Billy either uttered this sentence or some other form of it. His hands were shaking at the wheel and every now and then, he would fidget with his new shirt–courtesy of Mrs. Wheeler–as if it were choking him. Nancy just barely see the sheen of sweat on his temple. He had been like this since she’d gone to his house to pick him up. 

Truth be told, she had the same reaction when she met his father, thankfully very briefly. Just looking at the older man made her blood run cold, especially when he called her “my boy’s new girl.” The way he smiled at her and looked her up and down made her shudder. When Billy came to walk her to the Camaro, she was thankful to turn away from the creep. She could only imagine what it was like to live with him and could see why Billy was so afraid. 

Of course, she couldn’t blame him. Lord knew she had the same reaction when she told Jonathan about inviting him to the party. It only took a couple of shouting matches to convince him that Billy wouldn’t cause a scene. She made sure that he wouldn’t.

“You’ll be fine,” she said softly. “I promise.”

Billy only barely managed to calm down by the time the car was parked. Once the door was open, though, he seemed to slowly simmer down. Mrs. Byers greeted them both with a bright and cheery smile. Though she had never met Billy, she welcomed him as warmly as she would an old friend. Nancy was fairly certain she could see a smile on Billy’s face when she invited them in. The rest party fell silent at the very sight of Billy. Jonathan seemed to be the only one greeting them with even a hint of a smile. Steve seemed to be suppressing a smile, though, and Nancy was almost certain she could see some red in his cheeks. The children only stared. Billy stared back. 

“Well?” he said. “Anybody got a ‘hello’ for me or are you guys just gonna keep staring?”

“Hello,” piped a little voice. Jane, sweet little Jane, with her curious eyes and innocent smile, stared at Billy as though she could see through him. Billy smiled back, pointed to her, and whispered to Nancy: “Birthday girl?”

Nancy nodded.

“I like her already.”

From then on, one by one, the party began to warm to Billy. Jane decided that she immediately liked him and was often found talking to him. Max, of course, went from rolling her eyes at her step-brother’s jokes to genuinely laughing. Lucas was more reluctant until J.R.R. Tolkien seemed to make his way into the conversation. Dustin stared in awe of Billy’s knowledge of Middle Earth. Mike kept looking from Nancy to Billy back and forth until a smile overtook him. Will didn’t say much, but kept looking at the older boy with wide eyes and a shy smile. Jonathan slowly drifted into conversations with Billy, which often consisted of music. Mrs. Byers kept giving Billy cup after cup of coke. Hopper was sworn to secrecy when he agreed to turn said cokes Irish. 

Steve talked to Billy the most. Nancy couldn’t help but notice. How could she not? Often, she would find the two of them alone and was certain that the looks they shared could have been seen from the moon. She definitely recognized the look on Steve’s face. It was a look that he had only ever given her before. She remembered those warm eyes and that gentle smile from their first date, their first kiss, their first time, and so on. Billy had a similar look on his face, which Nancy did not recognize at all. There was a familiar twinkle in his eye and a very unfamiliar smile on his face, nothing like the wolfish grin that she was used to seeing on him. Instead, it was a soft and sweet smile that she could not help but return.

An hour, perhaps two or three, passed when Nancy felt a tap on her shoulder. 

“Hey princess,” Billy said with a smile. “I know the party’s not over yet, but Steve and I were just about to head out.”

Nancy smirked. “Oh?”

Billy rolled his eyes. “Don’t get too excited. He just wanted to show me the quarry.”

“Oh!”

“What? Is that a problem?”

“No, not at all, it’s just…well, I know you haven’t been living in Hawkins for very long, but the quarry is usually a place where people go after a date to…you know.”

Billy’s eyes went wide and his cheeks red. “Oh!”

Nancy giggled as she watched Billy look from Steve’s newly wicked grin to her own laughter. He shook his head, as if to shake off so many thoughts, likely filthy thoughts. 

“Anyway,” he said as he cleared his throat. “Before we go, I just wanted to say…well, thanks.”

“For what?”

“For, uh…well…shit, I’m not so good at this! Thanks for…understanding, I guess.”

Smiling, Nancy was the first to wrap her arms around Billy. It took him a few seconds for him to do the same. It almost seemed as if he didn’t know how to hold someone, as if he hadn’t been held in years. When the two parted, Nancy watched as Billy and Steve left the party hand-in-hand. It suddenly struck her that barely days ago, the thought of Billy Hargrove holding the hand of anyone she loved made her feel sick. Now, she could only watch with a hopeful smile on her face. 

And all because of a silly misunderstanding.


End file.
